Thursday, December 29, 2011

(Belated) Merry Christmas

In the Catholic faith, the season of Christmas doesn't end until the feast of the Epiphany (January 6, which is celebrated on the first Sunday after the new year). So even if it's four days after Christmas, this post isn't really THAT late :)

Now there were shepherds in that region living in the fields and keeping the night watch over their flock. The angel of the Lord appeared to them and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were struck with great fear. The angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For today in the city of David a savior has been born for you who is Messiah and Lord.
Luke 2 : 8 - 11


If only the shepherds knew that the infant they visited in the manger will someday be known as the Good Shepherd...

Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, just as it had been told to them.
Luke 2 : 20

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

A corny joke

I haven't been posting much lately about the events in the farm and garden even if there are many to report. I've kinda lost interest lately. The truth is it's my fault.

The flow of resource for "Solitude Rising" has gone down to a trickle so some adjustments have to be made. I asked my dear parents if they could find a way to help make the farm-cum-garden a little bit more productive especially in these lean times. Well, they did find a way to help stretch the budget --- by planting corns in several open spaces. They said the yield, no matter how meager, will help augment the costly commercial feeds for the animals. At first I thought this was a great idea. But when I saw the result, let's just say I fell off my chair. See for yourself.


Had the bamboos been shorter they would have been completely hidden from view.


Some garden plants competing with the corn plants.


It's a jungle of corns up there and the garden plants are somewhere in there too.


A young Cigar plant (center, bottom of the picture) is almost unnoticeable amid the tall stalks of corns.

If this is a joke, I don't find it funny at all.

There are so many open spaces in the farm where they could stick these stalks without destroying the look of the still emerging and struggling garden. It would have been more aesthetically acceptable if they designated a spot exclusively for growing corns. That, I would have gladly acceded to. For now, I'm just taking it in stride.

The eternal struggle between the garden plants and Cogongrass in some areas of the farm has given way to the fight between the garden plants and the corn plants. At least corns have commercial value.